Shoe finding



Jan.27, 1942. c. H. BOYS 2,271,474-

I SHOE FINDING Filed June 15, 1940 INVENTOR.

BY MA Wi w m Patented Jan. 27, 1942 2,271,474 snoa FINDING Clyde H. Boys, Drexel Hill, Pa., assignor to Hercules Powder Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application June 15, 1940, Serial No. 340,639

Claims.

This invention relates to impregnated absorptive materials and more particularly to improved impregnated box toes and/or counter stiffeners for shoes, boots, and the like.

Box toes and/or counter stiffeners for shoes, boots, or the like, usually comprise a base of absorptive material, for example, felt, which is impregnated with a composition adapted to stiffen the material and render it suitable for use as a reinforcing member. The present invention aims to provide box toes and/or counter stiffeners which are impregnated with a composition of this type, whereby the box toe and/or counter construction is greatly improved.

An object of the present invention is to provide box toes and/or counter stiffeners which are strong and somewhat pliable.

Another object is to provide a box toe and/or counter stiffener impregnated with a composition which is highly resistant to oxidation and decomposition.

Another object is to provide a composition which will not be attacked by perspiration and is resistant to rotting or softening.

Another object is to provide a composition which is odorless and will not have any irritating effects upon the feet.

A further object is to provide a composition which is readily prepared and applied to materials suitable for box toes and/or counter stiffeners.

Other and further objects will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrativ embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practioe.

In accordance with the invention, these objects may be accomplished by impregnating absorptive material such as felt, with a composition of rubber, and a hydrogenated rosin material,

and a plasticizer if desired. This composition gives the foregoing results and is suitable for impregnating box toe and/.or counter stiffeners for shoes, boots or the like,

In the drawing, the figure is a longitudinal sectional view of a shoe, illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a shoe [0 having a sole I l and a heel I! to which is secured the upper stock, It, lined with a suitable material IS. The shoe is provided with the usual toe construction It and counter construction H, which is located at the rear end of the shoe. The toe is reinforced with a box toe stiffener I 9 and the counter portion is reinforced with a counter stiffener 20, both of which are located in between the upper stock It and the lining l5. The box toe stiffener and the counter stiffener referred to herein and in the claims as stiffening members, preferably are formed of suitable felt, impregnated with the stiffening composition about to be described.

The rosin materials which may be used in the composition are hydrogenated rosin, preferably at least 50% hydrogenated, or the glycerol, glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, trimethylene glycol, butylene glycol, pentaerythritol, mannitol, sorbitol, or the like, esters of hydrogenated rosin. The amount of hydrogenated rosin materials may be varied from about to about 98% depending upon the rosin materials used, the plasticizen'if required, andthe type of product desired. Preferably between about '75 and of hydrogenated rosin materials is used in the composition to attain the characteristics desirable for impregnating box toe stiffeners and/or counter stiffeners and the like.

Any suitable kinds of rubber or rubber-like materials, such as Neoprene, (polymerized chloro-g buta-diene), low viscosity type Vistanex (polyisobutene), or Thiokol (alkyl polysulfide condensate product), may be used in the composition, all of which will be referred to herein and in the claims as rubber or rubber materials. Preferably crepe rubber is employed because it is readily and economically rendered compatible with the hydrogenated rosin materials and provides a composition which is non-tacky and has the desired resilience, stiffness, and resistance to deterioration required to accomplish the objects of the invention.

If a plasticizer is desired to be used in the composition of hydrogenated rosin material and rubber, hydrogenated methyl abietate, pine oil foots, linseed oil, China-wood oil, parafiin oil, cottonseed oil, rosin oil, castor oil, polyterpenes, and high melting point terpene ethers and esters may be added in amounts varying between about, one and three per cent. I

The composition may be prepared by a method which generally comprises melting the hydrogenated rosin material and adding the rubber or rubber-like material thereto and the plasticizer if desired, and stirring the mass while heating at a temperature between about 250 and 270 C. for a period of between about one-half and two hours. This provides a suitable-hot melt for impregnating the absorptive material.

. her were stirred together The stiffening members are impregnated by immersing the absorptive material, such as felt, in the hot melt for about one minute and then passing the felt between a pair of rolls or other suitable devices adapted to apply slight pressure to the felt, and remove the excess melt. The felt thereafter'is allowed to cool and when cooled, is tough and somewhat flexible. The felt may then be cut and formed into box toe and/ or counter stifieners.

The following examples illustrate compositions for'impregnating box toes and/or counter stiffeners and the like, to accomplish the objects of the invention.

Example 1 Parts by weight Hydrogenated rosin 90 Rubber 8H Paraflin oil 2' Ninety parts by weight of hydrogenated rosi and two partsby weight of paraffin oil and eight parts by weight of rubber were stirred together at 260 C. fdr one and one-quarter hours. The hot product was poured into a mold and allowed to cool. A hard, tough, somewhat flexible product was obtained,'which was found suitable for impregnating felt used for box toe and/or counter stiffeners.

Example? 6 Parts by weight Hydrogenated rosin 90 Crepe rubber 8 Castor oil 2 Ninety parts by weight of hydrogenated rosin,

and two parts by weight of castor oil, and eight parts by weight of crepe rubber were stirred together at 265 C. for three-quarters of an hour. The product obtained was hard, tough and somewhat flexible, and was suitable for impregnatin the felt.

Example 3 y I Parts by weight Hydrogenated rosin 90 Crepe rubber l Ninety parts by weight of hydrogenated rosin and ten parts by weight of rubber was stirred together at 265 C. for one hour. The resulting product was hard, tough, somewhat flexible and suitable for impregnating the felt.

Ninety parts by weight of glycerol ester of hydrogenated rosin, three parts by weight of paraflin oil, and seven parts'by weight of crepe rubat 255 C."for one hour. The product formed was hard, tough, flexible and possessed the desirable characteristics for impregnating box toe and/or counter stiffening materials.

Example Parts by weight Pentaerythritol ester of hydrogenated rosin '15 Crepe rubber 25 Seventy-five parts by weight of pentaerythritol ester of hydrogenated rosin and twenty-five parts by weight of crepe rubber were stirred together are strong, whereby they serve at 265 C. for one and three-quarter hours. A hard, tough, and somewhat flexible product was obtained.

Example 6 Parts by weight Sorbitol ester of hydrogenated rosin Crepe rubber l0 Ninety parts by weight of sorbitol ester of hydrogenated rosin and ten parts by weight of crepe rubber were stirred together at 265 C. for three-quarters of an hour. The product was hard, tough, and flexible and suitable for impregnating the box toe and/or counter stiffeners felt.

From the foregoing description and examples, it will be seen that the present invention provides box toes and/ or counter stiffeners which are readily and economically prepared. The stiffeners to reinforce the portion of the shoes at which they are located, and are somewhat flexible whereby they do not adversely affect the comfort of the wearer. The

compositions with which the stiffeners are impregnated are odorless, and will not irritate the feet. They are resistant to perspiration, and will not soften on aging. The hydrogenated rosin inhibits the composition against oxidation and embrittlement.

It will be understood that the details and examples hereinbefore set forth are illustrative only and that the inventionas broadly described and claimed is in no way limited thereby.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: p

l. A stiffeningmember for shoes comprising an absorptive base, impregnated with a compositionincluding a material selected fromthe group consisting of natural and synthetic 'rubbers, and a material selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated rosin and hydrogenated rosin esters.

2. A stiffening member for shoes comprising an absorptive base, impregnated with a composition including a material selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic rubbers, and a material selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated rosin and hydrogenated rosin esters, and a plasticizer.

3. A stiffening member for shoes comprising an absorptive base, impregnated with a composition including a material selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic rubbers, and a hydrogenated rosin material.

4. A stiffening member for shoes comprising an absorptive base, impregnated with a composition including a material selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic rubbers, and a hydrogenated rosin material and a plasticizer.

an absorptive base, impregnated with a composition consisting of a material selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic rubbers, and hydrogenated rosin.

6. A stiffening member for shoes comprising an absorptive base, impregnated with a composition consisting of a material selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic rubbers, hydrogenated rosin, and a plasticizer.

7. A stiffening member for shoes comprising a felt base impregnated with a composition including about 90 parts by weight of hydrogenated rosin, about 8 parts by weight of crepe rubber, and about 2 parts by weight of plasticizer.

8. A stiffening member for shoes comprising an 5. A stiffening member for shoes comprising.

absorptive base impregnated with a composition 10. A stiffening member for shoes comprising 9, consisting of a material selected from the group felt base impregnated with a composition inconsisting of natural and synthetic rubbers, and eluding about 90 parts by weight of a hydroa hydrogenated rosin ester. genated rosin ester; about 7 parts by weight of 9. Astifiening member for shoes comprising an 5 crepe rubber, and about 3 parts by weight of absorptive base impregnated with a composition plasticizer. consisting of a material selected from the group CLYDE H. BOYS. consisting of natural and synthetic rubbers, a hydrogenated rosin ester and a plasticizer. 

